1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of interactive single player video games wherein the game comprises computer generated images from an electronic device displayed on a television monitor. More specifically, the invention concerns an amusement and information system which uses a form of learning feedback, subliminal messages, stress reduction and knowledge developed during play of the game to facilitate rapid learning of new eye-hand combinations and new ways of operating the manual activation means necessary to more effectively interact with the video game and play it. 2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,773 to Ulicki discusses a system for providing a video display of a pictorial information message on a video display device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,603 issued in 1986 to Harrison discloses an amusement and information system for use in a passenger carrier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,510 was issued in 1980 to Miller for an apparatus simulating the game of golf. The actual drives and approach to the green are played on a practice driving range image generated by a computer. The golfer plays realistically any recorded courses and measures his game against the par for those courses via the game processor, completely putting out for a final score on a computer practice green.
In 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,679 was issued to Carlin for a stride evaluation system. This patent disclosed a system for displaying the current magnitude for stride forces produced by a sport participant in a sporting event having a first portable housing placed on the legs of the participant for sensing the stride force and a second portable housing located elsewhere on the body of the participant for receiving the force signals from each portable sensor located on the legs of the participant and for storing that information by transmitting it to a remote location.
In 1989 U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,476 was issued to Becker for a video target response apparatus and method of employing a standard video tape player and television receiver. Becker discloses the use of the substantially unmodified standard video cassette player to play a tape on a similarly unmodified television receiver to display a scene, particularly including selected targets. Becker's system includes a learning mechanism, that is, a provision for analyzing the output to detect the presence of a pulse sequence associated with the target and for communicating the result of this analysis to the user.
Becker pointed out that video games and learning systems use input responses from either a keyboard or a joy stick. Becker indicates that some are based on the concept of aiming a gun and directed his invention primarily to aiming type games. In these games the computer and through it the computer monitor or television receiver receives signals from the gun and these signals are used to determine the accuracy of the aim thus providing the player some feedback regardig his play of the game. The results from the accuracy indications are used interactively by the program computer to generate display effects on the screen indicating where the gun was in fact pointed and in some cases also changes the screen display when the gun was aimed correctly. Further, scores are developed by the computer and fed back to the monitor or receiver screen for display along with the target display.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,635 issued in 1987 to Enokian discloses a multiple player video game and learning system. Enokian provides a video game in which actual plays or perfomances of living beings are displayed on a cathode ray tube in accordance with plays selected by at least two players of the video game. The invention includes record keeping apparatus to record the progress of each player toward a goal or score as indicated by each play selected. Enokian is directed to types of athletic contests and games such as football, baseball, hockey, basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, badminton, cricket and the like. The primary requirement being that the game has at least two opposing sides and each side has one or more players which distinguishes from the applicant's novel invention.
In 1979 U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,928 was issued to Inose et al for a programmable television game and training system with adaptable operator control. This invention provided a microprocessor based television game or training system to facilitate the user entering or devising his own programs and providing the user the ability to adapt the user controls of the system to the game or training sequence entered.
It is important to an understanding of the novel invention to recognize that stress and the negative effects of stress on the player plays a significant role in inhibiting a player from achieving additional levels of successful play. The playing of one player video games, repeatedly achieving a defeat level, makes the player undergo adrenalin surges. Sensitivity to adrenalin surges is a major factor in creating psychological stress associated with repeated play and inability to achieve a next play level, i.e., stress attributed to repeated defeat with no clear means to succeed to a higher level.
New studies in animals and humans suggest that specific sites in the brain undergo changes as a result of repetitive adrenalin surges.
Brain changes occur, scientists now indicate, when the stress is experienced as an overwhelming threat or one over which a person has no control as to the outcome. A game player repeatedly attempting to achieve a higher level of play in a game and being unable to do so experiences an uncontrollable stress which has a biological impact: diminution of coordination.
Evidence for biological changes in the brain as a result of stress has grown over the last ten years from laboratory experiments on animals who were subjected to stress, often electric shocks they could not escape, while their brain activity was studied. The main changes observed have been in the way in which the brain secretes chemicals it produces under stress. The effects seen in animals have recently been indirectly confirmed as also occuring in people. The changes occur in three ways:
(1) Some of the main changes are in the locus ceruleus, a structure which regulates the brain's secretion of two catecholamines, hormones that mobilize the body for an emergency. This structure becomes hyperreactive during play of a video game secreting the brain's chemicals especially in situations wherein the player identifies with the protagonist in the video game who is constantly threatened during the game.
(2) There are also increases in the secretion of corticothopin-releasing factor or CRF, one of the main hormones that mobilizes the body's reflexes to meet an emergency. This hormone is regulated by the circuit linking hypothalamus, a structure in the brain's emotional center and the pituitary gland. Increased secretions alert the body for emergencies perceive by the game player.
(3) The opiod system of the brain which can blunt the painful feeling of defeat is also hyperactive. This may account for the emotional numbing, inability to feel which accompanies stress.
When individuals playing video games suffer repeated stress and frustration irregularities and abnormalities in all three of these brain systems occur. According to the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at Yale University, if two rats are given the same amount of shock and one them can press a lever to stop it, the rat that can do nothing to escape the pain will display brain changes. In the process of playing a video game a player unable to do anything to reach the next level or to stop the trauma of defeat is more likely not to achieve the next level. This is in line with experimental studies in animals which have shown that being able to escape, i.e., to control their escape of stress means that certain brain changes do not occur. This also holds true for humans.
When a person plays a video game and fails at a particular level for a repeated period of time the hypothalamus secretes CRF and the pituitary gland adjusts by lowering its number of CFR receptors, i.e., alpha 2 receptors. However, other CRF reaches other areas of the brain which are also sensitive to CRF. These other areas are not capable of lowering their number of receptors as readily as can the pituitory gland.
Excess release of CRF from the brain hypothalamus to these other brain centers is compensated by additional alpha 2 receptors when it is exhibited to the game player that there is an escape from the level achieved and this information is stored in the brain's memory bank. As part of the novel invention this exhibition occurs in the form of a video tape showing all levels of video play to the final level of the game. Thus, because the player understands that there is an escape from the level of play achieved by him excess release of the CRF from the hypothalamus is absorbed by additional alpha 2 receptors which are made available due to diminished stress. Too much CRF is produced when no escape is known. This makes a player overreact and prevents him from achieving a higher level of play. The player remembers the last time he was defeated at a particular level and exhibits an inability to go beyond to a new level of play.
It is recognized now in the human that under stress, as brain cells secrete norepinepharine, alpha 2 receptors sense this and slow down the accumulation. The inventor theorizes that in players who have played video games for a particular period of time and have been defeated on numerous occasions the number of alpha 2 receptors is significantly lower than in players who know of an escape mechanism to enable them to reach a higher level of play. A subliminal auditory message also is helpful.
The current invention utilizes as a novel element a video tape which contains a specific game played in its entirety. The inventor has discovered that watching a game played in its entirety enhances a player's playing ability significantly by reducing the stress associated with a specific mental state, namely, the perception that it is impossible to play the game through to its highest level of play. The tape contains a video game played from beginning to end by an advanced player or computer showing the actual play on a video screen. The inventor discovered that, for example, after spending many hours playing a single Nintendo.TM. video game, the player develops a certain stress level and a certain anticipation of failure even if a new level is achieved beyond that never attained previously. Generally the new player or the player who achieves the new level has no idea of what to expect at the new level and frustration and significant stress results.
These types of video games contain complex puzzle-like aspects and while they are attractive for the player they are also a source of stress which helps to defeat the player. Research performed by the inventor indicates that a player can significantly and unexpectedly increase his efficiency by watching the video game played through all levels of play. By having the player experience prior viewing of the video game through all levels of play it shows methods of where to go: how to find hidden items, and how to acquire necessary fighting techniques and tactics to escape destruction. The novel method produces much more motivation to play and succeed and eliminates significant stress associated with prior constant defeat and presents help to the player to form a plan of action.
Although the novel learning technique is directed to a Nintendo.TM. game system, it is applicable not only to Nintendo.TM. but to other home video game systems. In particular, any one player game system played on a television set is included. The novel learning system presented here is limited to a video game cassette comprising a player adventure type game in which a player is pitted against mazes and enemies in an attempt to reach an ultimate level, or destination to complete the game.
The levels get progressively more difficult in the game. Accordingly, heretofore most players reached a particular point in a game and found it virtually impossible to surpass that level in part due to stresses associated with not being able to develop a plan of action and strategy at the other levels and not knowing what to do. The stresses associated with playing the game often defeat the player.
Examples of games in the Nintendo.TM. game system for application of this invention are: BLASTER MASTER.TM., ZELDA.TM., LINK.TM., GUARDIAN LEGEND.TM., METROID.TM., and LIFE FORCE.TM., to name a few. The concept and novel learning system presented here is not for use on two player games in which the players are pitted against each other or a computer. Examples of such games include sports games such as baseball, boxing, tennis, football, racing, and target shooting.
The inventor has been able to determine from evaluations that players achieve a higher degree of enjoyment from these games and a higher degree of satisfaction, and stress alleviation when they improve their ability to play the game and achieve a higher level of play and when they know that this is actually probable.
It is important to understand that the Nitendo.TM. invention games, although difficult, have been mastered by a number of human players as well as computers. A countless variety of games exist with many variations of difficulty among them. The inventor has determined that most players do not possess the skill necessary to achieve all levels of play without some type of intervention. The inventor has likewise determined that utilizing this method as a learning tool the players achieve the necessary skill to play at the higher levels of a particular game even though they are initially bewildered by the complexity of the game. The inventor has determined that players are easily frustrated when they are unable to devise a strategy to achieve the higher levels of play.
Very few people without utilizing the novel learning system can complete any of the adventure games. Moreover, without this learning system it requires an extremely long time to attain the eye-hand coordination necessary to complete a one player adventure game. Many players get to a certain point or level in the games and find themselves unable to advance. Investigation by the inventor has revealed that significant numbers of players progressively achieve significantly higher level of play after utilizing the novel method of the invention.